Apparatus for piercing metal.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

F. M. PETERS. APPARATUS FOR PIERGING METAL APPLICATION FILED MARJS, 1902.

4 SHEETS-$311111 1.

PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

F. M. PETERS. APPARATUS FOR PIEROING METAL.

AIPLIOATION FILED MAR.15, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 802,707. PATENTED 001:. 24, 1905.

P. M. PETERS. APPARATUS FOR PIEROING METAL.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE.15, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

F. M. PETERS.

APPARATUS FOR PIEROING METAL.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.15, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

is WASKINGTOM, u. c.

UNITED STATES PaTENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR PIERCING METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24., 1905.

Application filed March 15, 1902- Serial No. 98.320.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. PETERS, a citizen 0f the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Piercing Metal, of which the following is aspecification.

In the production of manufactured steel and other metal products when it has been found necessary to pierce or perforate such products this operation was formerly efi'ected either by the slow method of boring directly into the article undergoing manufacture or by directing the latter against the point of a piercing die or mandrel operated by powerful machinery. The former method is tedious and slow, and both methods are very expensive on account of the severe work imposed upon the drills or dies, which soon wears them out, aside from the fact that the billet, plate, or other metal object under treatment is often injured or destroyed thereby.

I have conceived a means whereby billets, blocks, plates, or any other forms of steel or othermetal may be apertured or pierced by the aid of the electrical current; and my invention consists in an apparatus for piercing holes or apertures in such articles, the essential features of which reside in a hollow piercing die or mandrel adapted to enter the metal to be pierced and discharge the removed metal through itself in combination with means for passing an electrical current through the point of the die in such a manner as to heat the latter to a point sulficient to fuse the metal.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an apparatus embodying the essential elements of my invention hereinabove specified and have illustrated two applications of my invention as types merely of the various uses to which it can be put.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation and partlyin vertical section an apparatus embodying my invention and adapted for the piercing of steel billets. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the billet-support. Fig. 3 is asectional view of an apertured billet. Fig. t is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of an apparatus illustrating an application of my invention to the piercing or aperturing of metal blocks or plates. Figs. 5, 6-, and 7 are views corresponding with Figs.

1, 2, and 3, showing a different billet guide and support. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification in the manner of applying the electric current; and Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged top plan and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the modified piercingdie shown in Fig. 8.

Referring first to the form and application of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, in elusive, 5 represents a table or platform, on one side of. which is erected a rigid standard 6 The inner face of this standard has a clovetail groove 7 formed longitudinally therein and constituting away or guide for acarriage 8. To the upper end of the carriage 8 is pivoted aclamping-ring 9, havinga fasteningscrew 10, which latter may also serve as a contact-screw for one end of an electrical conductor 11, the opposite end of which conductor is connected to one of the contact plates or brushes of the armature 12 of a dynamo-electric machine.

13 indicates a steel billet which lies against the face of the carriage 8 and has its upper end securely clamped by the ring 9.

At 14 is indicated the principal element of my invention, which consists of a hollow die or mandrel which in conjunction with the electrical current eifects the piercing of the metal subjected to its action. This die, which is axially apertured from end to end thereof, (as shown) is, in the application of my invention under consideration, rigidly secured at its lower end in a block 15, which may be of insulating material, the bore of said die communicating with an aperture 16, formed through the support 5. The stock of the die 1 L may be of metal and is preferably a good conductor, and its upper end is armed with a piercing-die point 17 of annular form, which die-point may be of carbon or other material which possesses a higher fusing-point than any of the metals. The die stem or stock it is connected at any suitable point below the die-point 17 by an insulatedconductor 13 with a line conductor 19 leading to the opposite contact plate or brush of the dynamo.

In the operation of piercing a steel billet by the devices above described, a powerful electric current being generated by the dynamo indicated at 12, the current finds a path through the conductor 11, clamp 10, billet 13,

die-point 17, die-stock 1 1, and conductors 18 and 19 back to the dynamo, or in the inverse direction according as the conductors 11 and 19 are connected to thepoles of the generator. It will thus be seen that the current passes through and between the billet and the die, and the different relative conductivity of the carbon-point and the metal of the billet focalizes the heat at the point of the die and continuously fuses the metal thereat so long as the current is maintained at sufiicient intensity and the molten metal escapes through the annular die-point, the hollow of the stock of the die, and the discharge-aperture 16 in the base plate or support.

In the arrangement above described the weight of the billet is depended upon to feed it forward against the die-point as the piercing progresses. The rapidity of the operaation will depend to some extent upon the character of the metal and the size of the aperture to be produced and the amount of metal which it is consequently necessary to Withdraw.

So far as the essential elements of the apparatus above described for the purpose of aperturing the metal are concerned it will be obvious that it is immaterial whether the metal be advanced over the die or the die be advanced into the metal or the relative movement be shared by each of said parts. The particular character or shape of the metal subjected to the action of the die is also obviously immaterial. This metal may be the steel billet shown and described or a metal plate of considerable thickness, such as is used for the armor of vessels, metal beams of all descriptions, or any other forms or shapes of metal in a partly or wholly finished stage of manufacture. In order, therefore, to more fully illustrate the practically universal capability of application to any and all kinds and forms of metal which my invention possesses, as well as the different ways in which my invention may be carried into practical efieet, I have typically illustrated in Fig. at of the drawings an apparatus embodying an application of my invention to the piercing of a metal block or plate. In this illustration '20 and 20 designate a pair of vertical standards, which are longitudinally slotted throughout a part or the entire extent thereof to form guides or ways for the reduced end portions of a transversely-extending die-carriage 21 disposed between them. Sui-mounting one of these standards is a clamp 22. adapted to receive and hold between its fixed and movable jaws a metal plate or block (indicated by 13) constituting the metal to be pierced. YVithin a die-holding block 15, seated in the carriage 21 between the standards 20 20, is a stem 14?, provided with a carbon die-point 17 and electrically connected with the dynamo 12 by conductors 18 and 19 similar to the correspending elements described in connection with Fig. 1. The movable jaw of the clamp 22 is connected by a conductor 11 with the other pole of the dynamo, corresponding with the similar connection'oi the clamp 9 with the dynamo, as shown in Fig. 1. In or through the extremities of the die-carriage 21 are secured eyebolts 23 and 23, from which cables 24: and 24 pass over guide-pulleys 25 and 25 and are secured at their other ends to weights 26 and 26, operating in vertical guides or ways 27 and 27, respectively.

With the parts of this apparatus assembled and arranged as shown and described and an electrical current of the required intensity being generated and finding its path from the dynamo through conductor 11, clamp 22,

metal plate or block 13, die-point 17, diestock 14, and conductors 18 and 19 back to the dynamo or in the inverse direction, as the case may be, the piercing of the plate or block 13 at and by the point 01 the die, with the discharge of the molten metal through. the latter, will proceed in precisely the manner already described in connection with Fig. 1, except that the plate or block is held stationary while the die or follower is carried upward and into the plate or block by the rise of the carriage 21 under the action of the weights 26 26.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings 1 have illustrated a further modification in the means which may be employed for guiding and supporting the metal to be pierced. These views, with respect to the character of the metal body operated upon, the piercing-die, the electrical connections, and the relative movement between the metal and the die, correspond in all respects with Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, Sdesignating the base plate or support; 13", the billet to be pierced; 1 1", the hollow stationary piercingdie;'12", the electrical generator; 11", 10, and 9, the conductors from the generator to the billet, and 19 and 18" the conductors from the generator to the die. Upon the base 5 is supported a tubular guide 28, which is longitudinally slotted throughout the upper portion of its length, as indicated at 29. This tubular guide 28 preferably seats in the die block or holder 15" and is made of a size to receive and accommodate the billet 13" and serve as a combined guide and support for the latter to maintain it in true relation to the piercing-pie as the billet descends by gravity over the point of the latter while the current is on and the piereingisin progress. In Fig. 5 the billet is represented in 'full lines as partially apertured, and the molten metal withdrawn from the billet as the piercing progresses is shown as discharging through the interior of the hollow die and the bore of the support 5 in line therewith.

It will be understood that the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 4c, and 5 and any other apparatus which may be employed for effecting the proper positioning and relative arrangement between the die and the material pierced thereby will be provided with suitable insulating devices to confine the path of the electrical current to the die and the object pierced thereby. It will also be obvious that the electrical current instead of being passed through the die and the metal pierced thereby might be led through the point of the die only and interrupted at or within its annular body, so as to produce an arc of intense heat and power at the point of the die sufficient to fuse the metal.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings I have illustrated an apparatus designed to operate in this manner wherein 14; designates the stem or stock of the die and 17" the carbonpoint thereof. The die-stem lt is longitudinally bored on either side of its central metal-discharging bore for the insertion therein of insulated conductors 30 and 31, constituting continuations of the main conductorwires 11 and 19 leading from the dynamoarmature 12 These conductors 30 and 31 terminate at their upper ends in the two sections of the die-point 17, which latter, in order to the production of an arc therein, is formed in two sections separated by high-resistance insulation 82. This insures the formation of an arc and the consequent generation of the required heat to melt and fuse the material of the billet in contact with said die-point, and this is accomplished without sending the current through the billet.

The foregoing is illustrated simply as one form in which my invention may be employed; but for simplicity and reliability I prefer to connect one terminal of the generator with the billet and the other with the die and produce the are between the opposing ends thereof.

I desire it to be understood that the forms of apparatus hereinabove described and illustrated in the drawings are illustrative merely of ways in which the proper relative movement between the hollow die and the material operated upon thereby may be effected; but so far as the essential features of my invention are concerned these devices may be modified or varied to any extent. Neither is my invention limited to the character or shape of the material operated upon, as herein shown and described, since my invention is obviously capable of use with and upon other kinds and forms of metal with equal advantage.

I have suggested carbon for the die or follower, since its resistance and meltingpoint is higher than that of steel or other materials with which my invention is designed to be used but many other materials having a higher melting-point than that of the metal intended to be pierced might be employed, and the resistance may be varied according to the current used and may even be lower than that of the metal to be perforated.

I claim- 1. An, apparatus for electrically piercing metal, comprising in combination means for supporting a body of metal to be pierced, a piercing-die having a longitudinal aperture for the escape therethrough of fused metal, and means for passing an electrical current through the point of said die, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for electrically piercing metal, comprising in combination means for supporting a body of metal to be pierced, a piercingdie having a longitudinal aperture for the escape therethrough of fused metal, means for passing an electrical current through the point of said die, and means for imparting relative movement to the billet and the die, substantially as described.

8. An apparatus for electrically piercing metal, comprising in combination a stationarypiercing-die having a longitudinal aperture for the escape therethrough of fused metal, means for supporting a body of metal and causing the latter to advance over the die in a predetermined fixed relation thereto, and means for passing an electrical current through the point of said die, substantially as described.

4:. An apparatus for electrically piercing billets, comprising in combination a stationary piercing-die having a longitudinal axial aperture formed therethrough for the escape of fused metal, means for supporting a body of metal andimparting thereto a travel over the die in a predetermined fixed relation thereto, and an electrical cu rrent-generator having two poles connected respectively to said die and body of metal, whereby the current passes over and between the same, substantially as described. 7

5. An apparatus for electrically piercing billets, comprising in combination a piercingdie having an axial aperture for the escape of fused metal and movable relatively to the billet to be pierced, means for passing an electrical current through the point of said die, and a support for the billet, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus for electrically piercing billets, comprising in combination a hollow guide or casing adapted to contain a billet to be pierced, a die or follower contained within and having a fixed relation to said guide or casing, said guide and die being movable relatively to the billet contained in the former, and means for passing an electric current through said billet and die, substantially as described.

7 An apparatus for electrically piercing billets, comprising in combination astationary vertically-disposed guide or casing, a die or follower disposed therein and in coaxial alinement' therewith, said casing being adapted to l the aid of the electric current, a hollow die recelve a billet 1n ltsjupperyend and hold -the njtferding an axial escape-passage for the fused same in fixed relation t0- -th"idi-e during its inetal; substantially as described.

descent by gravity, and means for passing FRANK M. PETERS. 5 an electric current through the billet and the itnesses:

die, substantially as described. F. M. IRELAND,

8. In an apparatus for piercing metal by N. HAssmTtr. 

